Those who spoke out in support of gender equity in allocation of film funding

This is undoubtedly the highlight of my ten years' thinking and writing about this issue, as well as of 2015. First, at the annual Big Screen Symposium, producer/director Chelsea Winstanley made unequivocal statements about the need for gender equity in New Zealand Film Commission's allocation of taxpayer funding.

Huge respect to Chelsea, the first high-flying New Zealand woman director/ producer to speak up publicly and staunchly on this issue, except for Dame Jane. May others join her in 2016.

Then two men directors spoke out, writer/director Jonathan King and actor/writer/director Jemaine Clement. The first I noticed was Jemaine, in support of the Australian Directors Guild's call for gender equity.

Niki Caro

On set: The Zookeeper's Wife

Best known as director of Whale Rider andNorth Country, 'our' Niki Caro directed this year's McFarland, USA (not yet released in New Zealand). It is 57 on Box Office Mojo's 2015 Box Office Results, has grossed almost $45m and is one of only five women-directed films this high on the list. The others are Fifty Shades of Grey (16); Pitch Perfect 2 (12); The Intern (57); and Jupiter Ascending (54). That's pretty amazing.

But I was even more excited by Jessica Chastain's account of life on set with The Zookeeper's Wife, also directed by Niki, published in The Hollywood Reporter–

I'm in Prague filming a movie called The Zookeeper's Wife with director Niki Caro. I can't tell you — it's amazing. I've never been on a set with so many women. We're not even 50 percent of the crew — we're probably something like 20 percent women and 80 percent men — but it's way more than I've ever worked with on a film before. There are female producers (Diane Levin, Kim Zubick and Katie McNeill), a female screenwriter (Angela Workman), a female novelist (Diane Ackerman), a female protagonist and a female director. I've never seen a female camera operator like Rachael Levine on one of my films. And I've never, ever seen a female stunt coordinator like Antje "Angie" Rau.

Niki Caro hasn't spoken up about gender equity in the allocation of taxpayer film funding and I so wish she – and others – would. But it's great to see her doing so well outside New Zealand and supporting women who work in film.

Programmes that embraced diversity & achieved high levels of participation and achievement by women

These programmes provided models for others. Take note, New Zealand Film Commission. Take note, 48Hours competition!

More women-directed films in cinemas

I think we're seeing more women-directed films in our cinemas and that's ace. It's felt almost-normal to be able to watch one woman-directed feature after another, down the road at the Paramount or elsewhere. Just before the holidays, it was Jocelyn Moorhouse's The Dressmaker, that I intended to follow with Leslye Headland's Sleeping With Other People. But I needed space to reflect on The Dressmaker, so I didn't. I still find distribution mysterious: why has Gina Prince-Bythewood's Beyond the Lights not reached New Zealand, for instance? And McFarland, USA?

Film Fatales arrives

Film Fatales 'is a global network of women filmmakers who meet regularly to mentor each other, share resources, collaborate on projects and build a supportive community in which to make their films'. Itwas founded in New York and now there's a Wellington chapter. A big thank you to Anita Ross for taking the initiative.

This short film has travelled all over and won many awards. But perhaps most significantly, it won coveted Lightbox Best Film Award at New Zealand's Show Me Shorts and this made Alyx eligible to enter The Tide Keeper into the 2017 Oscars®. Fingers crossed she'll do that.

What a thrill that Alison came back to direct Eleanor Catton's first novel, The Rehearsal, after writing the screenplay with Emily Perkins, best known as a novelist.

I don't know when The Rehearsal will be released, but am looking forward to it. And a whole lot of other things in 2016.

Thank *You*!

A big thank you to all of you who've supported my work this year, as interviewees and contributors, in emails and in Facebook 'likes' and conversations, through tweets (@LittleFairyFilm wins the most supportive tweets award!), through messages and phone calls and in meetings. You're always a highlight. I love knowing that you're out there reading this and am always especially touched when you tell me you find something useful, tell me I'm mistaken, share your stories with me. Every good wish to you for 2016!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

After The Waterfallis the only New Zealand feature in the New Zealand International Film Festival that a woman—Simone Horrocks—has written and directed. It premiered in Beijing earlier this month, as part of the 5th New Zealand Film Festival in the People’s Republic of China. Here's Simone speaking at the premiere.

Simone first attracted international attention when she was a semi-finalist for the prestigious Sundance Institute/NHK Filmmaker's Award in 2001. She has written and directed several short films, notably Spindrift, winner of the Best Panorama Short Film award at the Berlin Film Festival, and New Dawn, commissioned by the Edinburgh Film Festival to mark the launch of UK Film Four's Lab. I knew almost nothing about her. So I peppered her with emailed questions. And was truly delighted with her generous responses.

Cushla Parekowhai and I went to previews for Dana Rotberg's new feature White Lies/Tuakiri Huna – Cush in Auckland and me down here in Wellington. And the film excited us. White Lies/Tuakiri Huna, described as 'a story about the nature of identity: those who deny it and those who strive to protect it', comes from Medicine Woman, a novella by Witi Ihimaera, who also wrote Whale Rider. (Witi is Cushla's cousin. Witi's father, Tom Smiler, and Cush's grandmother, Pani Turangi, were raised in the same household in Manutuke.)

Dana wrote, in the book that accompanies the film, that after she read Medicine Woman –...Paraiti, the medicine woman, was a stubborn presence who refused to leave. I felt that was a clear sign that the story...was speaking to me from places other than where the original work had come from. Places that belonged to my intimate family history and my most unresolved conflicts as a person in the world. It was a call from the core of my origins to l…

Back in October, just before the #directedbywomen screenings in Auckland, I tumbled down a steep flight of wooden steps in Auckland's Ayr Street Reserve. Cracked one ankle and broke the fibula in my other leg. Missed spring gardening. Missed all of Wanuri Kahiu's visit (but not some beautiful responses from the many people she inspired and revitalised).

Couldn't transcribe or edit my #directedbywomen Skype interview with Isabel Coixet. Couldn't edit and publish other almost-ready interviews I cherished. Couldn't organise more screenings that filmmakers had requested, with the films' directors beamed in to Te Auaha's small treasure of a cinema for Q & As, also via Skype.

About Me

I'm Marian Evans. This blog continues 'Development', my post-doctoral project, and supports women who make movies, in all forms, for any platform. Globally, starting in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 1893, women here were first in the world to get the vote and I'll be celebrating that in 2018, with #DirectedByWomen Suffrage125.